Guardians of the Tangled Frozen Blah Blah Blah
by morethanemployed
Summary: ...we get it already. People want to see a cross over of all cgi. Anywho, Mother Gothel and Kristoff seek out the two 'mortal guardians', those chosen to choose the fate of all mortals; whether to fear or love. Hans and Eugene wage an epic battle to determine whether the world remains in light or plunges into darkness.
1. Chapter 1

a.n. I apologize for starting with an author's note, but, sadly, fanfiction is being totally lame. There's supposed to be a line where I leave a line of periods in order to break up the action between the two sides. My apologies. Please review, I feed off your love.

Chapter Point zero.

Pabbie, the grand troll, sat happily in a circle. He brought his toes together, pushing his hands into a prayer-like position. He let out warm laughter, delighting in those around him.

In a way, he was leading a religious event at the moment, but really, it was about love, community, tradition, and knowledge.

You know, the way _actual_ religion should work. They all sat in a circle of light. He took a deep breath, felt the air, the warmth of the sun, and the sounds of many voices. It was so peaceful.

...

She rose from her grave shrieking. Her body was slowly reassembled, bones first. Her skull would be smiling if her mouth wasn't opened in a perpetual shriek. Bones clicked together as muscle and sinew slowly wound it's way back onto the form. Next came the organs; eyes, brain stomach... she could feel herself coming back to life from the ashes. By the time her skin formed, she doubled over from the pain, watching her hair regrow, the only comfortable part of the process. Sewn over all of it was Shadeu; living dark energy.

It slithered up her recently-resurrected form, giving her back her clothes. All of this in the darkness of her tower.

For the first time in years, Mother Gothel inhaled.

...

He smiled at the guests; Anna and Elsa came to hear him speak. It was wonderful to watch the family grow, especially now that his son had found a girl. That's what it was all about; being together, basking in the warmth and light of love and life. Loud party noises and allowing things to take their natural courses.

...

Across the ocean, Mother Gothel was alone. Except for the Presence. Her master; the One Who Owns Shadows. He whispered to her about her daughter finding a man, and the need for her to take matters into her own hands.

...

Pabbie finished the song, and rose above to crowd to deliver a kind of sermon. Suddenly, his eyes became unfocused. He fell silently.

Kristoff, his son, stood worriedly, "...Dad?"

...

Mother Gothel clutched her heart over her chest. So, daughters were a disappointment after all. Still, Rapunzel was not the only one she had mothered. It was time to reclaim...

...

"NOOOO!" Pabbie felt the growing darkness with the rest of the elders. It was impossible! There hadn't been a Convergence in centuries! Nevertheless, he would never mistake that aura for anything else. He looked around at all the things he would lose, and all the secrets he would keep.

"My son, I have a duty for you. We must try and stop the Blade."

...

Mother Gothel grabbed her knife, her basket, and the Blade. She rubbed the metal pendant lovingly. Evil, it turned out, was just as sexist as good. During her long, long life, she'd found a dark power of unimaginable potential.

Just one problem; it wouldn't work for her. So now it was time to bring in someone who could use it. And with that power, take over the world, and return her immortality.

...

Pabbie gathered together sticks, and wove them into a crown, "Seek out the wickedest of men, and set this upon his brow," He turned to Turok, a fellow troll, "Seek out the noblest, and grant him the Shield."

He held out a small metal pendant.

...

Both Gothel and Pabbie looked vacant for a second, and said in unison; "It has begun."


	2. Chapter 2

He needed to be saved.

Kristoff scoffed angrily. Yes, he loved his mother and father with all his heart. Well, the parts not devoted to Anna, but...

Hans? HANS?! **_Hans_?!**

It's like his parents were _purposefully_ trying to mess with him. It was the kind of thing they were good at; saying one thing, then getting another.

Still, this was beyond having to clean his room. (Er... cave). This was dangerous. And what would Elsa say when she heard about this?

Or Anna?

For the thirtieth time since Kristoff had boarded the ship, the desire to _leap from the blasted thing into the sea_, almost overwhelmed him.

He sighed. Hans had to be saved. This was non-negotiable.

At least the sea was smooth and calm. He wondered what would have happened when they found out where he went. Kristoff spoke to himself in an imitation of Anna, "Oh, hey, where'd you go, Sweetie? For carrots? Milk?" "Nope, went to bust your evil ex-fiancee' out of prison." "That's nice honey. Oh, and I'm never speaking to you again."

Kristoff growled in annoyance at his daydream. For the thirtieth-first time, the urge to cast off the ridiculous crown in his hand almost overwhelmed him. The trolls were clear; put the crown on Hans, and wait. That was all the instruction he was given. Not that it made him feel any better. Being raised amoungst magical beings had exposed him to a fair amount of the subtle-arts. And they almost **never** worked the way the user intended. Kristoff hung his head, annoyed at his ignorance. How was a silly wooden crown supposed to solve anything?! Still, he wasn't the kind of guy to sit around moping. He'd return to his cabin and wait to for the ship to dock.

"Whups!" He bumped into a female figure as he was turning.

"Oh... hello, handsome!" The women preened up at him.

As unused to female attention as he was, Kristoff knew better than to be rude. He helped the woman to her feet. She was... odd. Old, but with a young face.

She had black hair, and dark shading around her eyes. Her lips were thin, and deep red. Her long, red nails gleamed like bloodied daggers in the sunlight.

"Sorry about that ma'am," he apologized, "Let me help you up..."

He picked her up easily. It never failed to amaze him how much smaller women were.

"Ma'am? I'm not that old! Oh, that's unnecessary. But there is one thing I _can_ do..."

"How may I be of service?"

She chuckled lightly, as if he were some sort of amusing animal, "Oh, darling... you already have. Oh bo-oooys!" She sing-songed.

Two men approached. Twins, it seemed, the primary difference between them was that one of them had an eye-patch. They both eyed the woman warily.

"Relieve our friend here of his crown," She daintily pointed with her finger. Kristoff clutched it protectively.

The two, regardless of how much they feared her, exchanged looks of doubt.

"It's... wood."

"I can see that, yes," Her voice was cheery, but quickly loosing it's happy quality.

They both leaned towards her, "But... that makes it worthless..."

She snapped, **"Do you honestly think I dragged the two of you out of prison for a worthless crown?!"**

As she screamed, she aged. Kristoff watched in horror as her skin lost its glowing quality, and sunk into a pale, wrinkled heap. Her once pitch-black hair turned snow-white as she screamed.

"Now get the crown!"

Kristoff was no fool; he knew danger when he saw it. Dodging past one, he ran as far as he could to get away from them. Unfortunately, being on a ship meant that he was unable to get very far from her. There was only one choice; to go below decks.

But being below decks was a different matter entirely. Still, judging from the expression the twins had, maybe an unconventional move was the best one. It was dark, and confined. But neither of those were the reason Kristoff didn't want to be down here. There really was only one reason, with one word attached;

Hans.

Yes, the wicked prince of the Southern Isles was on board. His ship had been detained due to unnecessary complications in the diplomatic process. Elsa had eventually grown weary of seeing his ship in the harbor, so she sent him on his way to some friends in Corona.

Hopefully they could at least _store _him whilst she tried to jumpstart the diplomatic crisis. Kristoff told her he wanted to go along to 'keep an eye on him' but, in truth, his father had sent him to look after Hans. Look after, they called it. More was going on than he was allowed to know. His father was being secretive, more so than usual, and his mother wasn't being very clear either.

"Hans can't win, he can only lose."

At first, those had been words of comfort. Now they were ominous. Win? Lose? Since when was he still contending for anything. Nevertheless; Kristoff obeyed. There was only one catch: Hans had to _willingly_ put the crown on. Kristoff had told him to, and he declined. Then Kristoff begged. Then he threatened. All he got were more 'no-s'.

"Fine!" The ice man huffed, stomping away. Hours later he stomped back down the stairs, two villains in pursuit.

"Finn!" Said the one with an eye patch.

"Yeah!?"

"Grab him!"

Kristoff kept running to the cage. Hans was propped up in the corner, his eyes focused on something far away. He ignored the commotion without much regard.

"Duck."

Kristoff felt a bucket collide with the back of his head.

"Bad job ducking, peasant."

Kristoff grit his teeth, frustrated that he had to deal with Hans' superior attitude. It was bad enough he had to rumble with these two thugs.

"Jake!" Finn grabbed Kristoff around the stomach and banged his head into the ceiling. The ice man grunted before bringing his fist down on the back of his opponent. Though the thugs were tough, they hadn't wrestled rocks when they were younger.

A fist collided with Kristoff's face.

"Ow..." He said calmly. He then reared back and delivered his own, sending Jake into the bulkhead, "Okay, let's rumble."

It was a draw. In the cramped cabin the blond use his superior strength and mass to keep the thugs from beating him too badly, but he wasn't strong enough to incapacitate either of them.

Then _she_ came down.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Mother Gothel hissed, "Unbelievable," She drew her dagger, pointing with her free hand to the deck, "down."

Kristoff released both the henchmen. Finn and Jake both gave him parting blows, but the blond's eyes remained on the blade.

"Boys, be a dear and steal that memory crown for me."

Finn acquiesced. Mother Gothel turned the thing in her hand over and over.

"Beautiful... do you even know what this does?"

Kristoff slowly shook his head, staying silent. The dark woman was about to explain when a voice came from the cell.

"..."

She sighed, "Oh, Hans, you know how I _hate_-!"

"The mumbling, I remember..." Hans stared at her with shock, "...mother?"

The young prince stepped forward, eyes wide in the light, searching. It was her, "Mom?!"

The ex-queen smiled, "Hans! My dear boy... how have you been? Good? I hear you've been busy," She then turned away, "Get rid of the smelly one."

Finn and Jake exchanged looks.

"The blond one."

"Ooooh!" Kristoff wrestled them for a moment. Hans was doing something most thought impossible of him; he was truly shocked.

"MOM!" He ran to the bars of his cell, face alight with joy, "I thought you were dead!"

She shrugged, "Well... it could have been worse. I could have stayed dead," She sighed, looking her young son over, "And have I taught you nothing? Control, control, control. Be dangerous-"

"And stay on the roll," Hans completed, "What are you doing here?"

"Selecting a proper wielder. Let me ask you; if you had just one thing in their with you, what would you want?"

Hans snorted, "...sword. Or a key. Or chains of decent size."

Mother Gothel smirked proudly, "One moment, I want the troll-son to see this."

She handed her son the blood-red blade through the bars. Immediately, it glowed. It then re-formed into a razor-sharp sword.

"Whoooooaa..." Hans gasped.

"What do you say?" She chided him.

"Thanks," He said, smirking. With a single blow, his blade with through the bars. With another, he carved himself a hole. Once done with the weapon, it turned into a chain on his jacket, "Ooooooh! I like this!"

He stepped out. Kristoff's eyes were blank with shock, "How-!"

"The Man of the Moon made mortal bearers three,

A shield or a blade or a secret for me,

First you shall find 'neath an ancient tower's tree,

Second to get for valor from men stony.

Shield and blade clash and dash heart's the key,

'Til only one mortal left to wield the two be,

The fear or love rule the world for a thousand and three."

The woman smiled darkly at her rhyme, "Time's up, and happily ever after is going out the window once my son and I get our way... ha ha ha ha!"

Then the wooden crown went onto Kristoff's head. The world went black as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

_**Across the waves in Corona...**_

Flynn Ryder, aka Eugen Fitzherbert rose late in the day. He sighed to himself.

"I know why the caged bird sings," He whined, "'Cause it was all he could do out of a list of acceptable things."

He hummed a song to himself as he poured a bowl of cereal for one.

"I cannot remember the days gone by,

Nor should I, can I say why,

'cause I'm just an average, ordinary guy."

Without thinking, he sang the next verse,

"The Man of the Moon made mortal bearers three,

A shield or a blade or a secret for me,

First you shall find 'neath an ancient tower's tree,

Second to get for valor from men stony.

Shield and blade clash and dash heart's the key,

'Til only one mortal left to wield the two be,

The fear or love rule the world for a thousand and three."

He finished the cereal, but did not bother to get up.

"What's the point?"

That was the problem, after all. He'd had nothing to do for almost a year now. The one thing he _did _have to look forward to was proposing. Rapunzel, at this point in his life, was not just his dream, but all he had really.

_Is this all there is to life?_

He'd spent so long on the run, dodging patrols and scavenging for food he barely took a moment to consider what would happen when he didn't have to do that anymore. It's not like he had a lot of great skills. Sure, he could scale walls, do acrobatics and pick locks, but none of that did him any good when he wasn't a criminal.

And he wasn't a wanted criminal, which was the problem in the first place. Eugene needed something to do.

The cottage he was currently staying at was provided to him by Rapunzel's **extremely** generous parents. They took care of things he daren't even ask of them, and all without expecting a single 'thanks' from him. It was all too much.

They found some of his old possessions from his childhood; his collection of Flynn Ryder books, his teddy bear, (Mr. Bonkers was never so clean!)

Eugene picked it up. His collection of books came, from all places, the palace. After losing her little girl, the queen had dived into her stories seeking solace in faraway places. Her collection grew and grew until it overflowed the large castle library.

So, the queen had picked up some of her old favorites and dropped by the orphanage. Eugene had listened intently as this visitor had read each book in a clear voice. Everyone had paid such attention. She had a way of commanding attention like that. He'd wanted it so bad; to be adored and not poor.

When she got up to leave, her Rider books stayed.

The boy, hoping they would be worth something, grabbed them and took them to his room, examining each one for magic properties.

He knew it was wrong. And he got caught.

"Don't bother hiding, young man," A severe female voice warned. Eugene turned to find her stern gaze softening. This child had no parents, just like… "They're yours," The elderly queen then turned and left. Eugene ran away for the first of many times. He left out of shame. Here was someone who was willing to give something to him he had tried to steal. Ironically, he would steal something even more precious to her about ten years later.

He wondered where the queen came from, and what she was doing at the orphanage. For years and years he had read the books, never exactly sure why they mattered to him so much, nor why he couldn't bring himself to throw them away.

"It chose you," A voice said.

Eugene bolted around to see a rock behind him.

"What? How-!"

The rock started moving, "There is no time, Eugene, and very little choice in the matter. My time has come to a close. Your time has just begun."

Flynn stared at the troll, and said, "Huh? What are you? Some kind of animal, or…?"

The troll rolled his eyes, preparing to 'troll' the young man. Instead, he asked "Do you love her?"

Flynn laughed, "Of course I love her! Wait, why does that matter…?"

With a flash, the pendant in the creature's hand started to glow…


	3. Chapter 3

In the light of the moon, Mother Gothel wrung the sea water out of her hair, waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

She sighed, "Oh, that idiot son of mine had better not-!"

Hans sputtered to the surface, coughing.

"Wha-wha-uuuh what was that!?" He sputtered. The prince had to bear the long-suffering sigh of his mother.

"I told you to be careful!"

"You told me to push my limits!" He barked in a high-pitched voice.

"Now, really, Hans, what did you expect?" She said, bored already with the situation, "I give you a shiny new toy, and, just like a three year old, you broke it!"

"I was three last time that happened!" He choked out indignantly, "That was _not_ my fault!"

"It wasn't my fault you were three. Besides, your brothers handled _their_ swords just fine," She said smoothly, pushing at the wrinkles on her dress. The two floated for a moment, Mother Gothel in the boat, and Hans in the water. He was the one to break the silence and ask her the question that had been bothering him for years.

"...what happened to you?" He asked in a small voice, "You would disappear for days on end, then weeks... and then... One day you just..."

"It doesn't matter now, Hans. Now, come give your mother a hug," She gently pulled him into the boat and into her arms, "There, there..."

Hans sunk into her embrace, feeling her soft dress again and the tickling of her curly hair. He'd liked her hair, even though he had not inherited it. It made her different from most people, like she was from a different part of the world. Different was better.

"I missed you so much," He admitted, "I just... wanted to make you proud..." She patted his back. He relaxed into her, letting his smile grow as his heart began to feel again.

Mother Gothel rolled her eyes. Of all the children she had to rely on, Hans was officially the _last _one she would have expected to be chosen. Then again, if circumstances in Arrendelle were what she'd been told, this was, perhaps, the best the world had to offer evil. Finally, she tired of babying him, and pushed him back.

"Let's hurry along, Hans. You have a destiny to fulfill, and I," She smirked, "Have vengeance...!"

"Vengeance?"

"Don't worry Hans, I swear you'll have yours," She smiled broadly, "Someday soon."

He smiled in return and started rowing. Behind them, the ship lay in taters from the damage Hans had done with the Blade. Inside herself, Mother Gothel was afraid- Hans was much more powerful than she had anticipated. She had to keep him under control.

But how?

"Oh, and one more thing," She said. He looked at her inquiringly. She pushed him out of the boat. He splashed back to the surface in surprise, "It's time you learned to take care of yourself. You're acting like a three-year-old crying out for mummy."

She then turned and sailed away leaving her son to drown.

...

Flynn looked at the metal in his hand with incredulity.

"So, it's a, uh," He started.

"Frying pan, apparently so," said the troll.

"Um, great!" Flynn replied, "So you sought me out to give me the Frying Pan of Magic?"

"It's a shield," corrected the rock being immediately, "I have no idea why it's a frying pan."

"Hmmm... oh well," It didn't seem to bother the troll all that much. Then again, what does bother a troll? Flynn decided to ignore the thing, and put his 'Shield' to work.

...

"We do not use the only defense for love and hope in the world to fry eggs..." Grumbled Turok.

"Sh... just wait 'til you try these!"

Flynn kept flipping them. There was no such thing as magic, he'd learned that a long time ago. Sure, people would claim something was magical in order to make it seem more valuable, or them seem somewhat more important but there was no such thing as...

The ex-thief looked at the troll. Okay, maybe there was some magic.

"Do you believe in magic?" Flynn asked, getting bored.

"We are taught from a young age that there is much magic in the world. But it can all be defined in one way."

"Love," Said Flynn.

"Love," agreed Turok, "Your love for her will save the world from destruction."

"Yeah, hey, you didn't exactly..." Flynn bobbed his head unsure, "_explain_ what kind of destruction we were talking about here. Are we talkin' 'left the stove on' bad, or...?"

"If you fail, the Boogeyman himself will inherit the rights to human fate. He will bring despair upon all humankind, plunging the world as you know it from a hopeful state into complete desolation."

"OH!" Squeaked Flynn, "**That** kind of destruction. Cool. Ookay, yeah, I can totally, do that... world-savin'... maybe you've got the wrong guy?" He chuckled.

"No," Answered his stony companion.

"...really? 'Cause, I don't know if you got the message or not, but... I'm kind of a bad person!"

Turok put one stony hand over Flynn's free one, "One with a good heart, who has learned what true love is. And your assistance is needed again."

Flynn nodded, "Great!"

Rocky smiled, "So, you're ready?!"

"No!" Answered Flynn, "But the eggs are! Hacha!"

He was correct though; the eggs were _amazing_. Maybe the pan was magic after all...


	4. Chapter 4

The second Hans hit landfall in Corona, he felt his breath taken away. He had always loved it here; its warm light, warm people, and... just warmth in general. This particular neighbor of the Southern Isles was a lot like Arrendelle; rich, but small.

It was the perfect place for a coup.

Hans smirked, turning to his mother, "So, where do we begin?"

He caught her vanishing form at the edge of the forest. She stopped just long enough to tell him, "Use the magic of the Blade to turn them to your side."

With that, she vanished into the trees. Hans watched her go, his heart aching with hurt. He pretended it was hunger.

_power of the blade, power of the blade..._

He walked forward. The Blade changed form, wrapping itself around his arm, its point was slightly off-center. Hans tried turning it, but it stayed warped.

"Communicate with it, let it resonate within you," He repeated his mother's words, "Okay, fine then. You lead the way."

And so it did.

Hans wandered through the forest feeling a bit silly. When he was small, he dreamed he'd go on adventures with a couple goofy sidekicks and a magic weapon. This was a pretty poor comparison. Not only was his 'goofy sidekick' his mother, but she also left him, again.

His teeth gritted. The Blade became hard, rigid. Small teeth sprouted along the sides of it...

_swish...!_

With one swipe, three trees were leveled. Hans stood still, watching them fall without much appreciation. He knew he had to get his emotions under control. His mother gave out grave warnings occasionally, and this was certainly one of them, "The Blade has power over people, Hans. It can corrupt _anyone_... even its wielder," She paused there, "**Especially** its wielder!"

Hans Westerguard was no fool; if his mother said it was dangerous, it was. Besides, no power came without risk. He remembered Elsa. For the first time in weeks, he really wanted to see her again, and prove his new-found power. The blade straightened, and pointed in the direction of Arrendelle.

"Not yet," He said, calming his mind, "...but I swear, one day I shall return to Arrendelle."


	5. Chapter 5

Hans allowed himself a moment of triumph. His mother had left him to go do… something. It was not the first time she had left him, nor would it be the last.

But why?

Ever since he was little, his mother had often left him and his brothers to take secretive trips. His father, the king, never spoke of it. There were rumors, of course, as to how she maintained her beauty. Some claimed that she bathed in the blood of virgins, others that she had found a drop of sun that had fallen from the sky. Whatever it was, his mother had to leave often.

….his father hated him for this reason. Whenever the queen was pregnant she did not have to leave. But once Hans was born, she ceased to have children. Then one day, she disappeared, promising to return after giving a haircut.

It had been a random promise, but one he had held onto for years. Now here he was, struggling to wrap his mind around what the events of the last twenty-four hours. Apparently, he had been chosen by evil itself to bring life itself under the heel of darkness.

Hans wasn't sure exactly how he felt about that. Sure, he liked power, and control was always good. But he never really saw himself as 'evil' really. For a moment, he honestly wondered if his mother wasn't nuts. She thought that the secret to eternal life lay in Corona. That was ridiculous. Then again, he had seen the power of an ice queen, so who was he to judge?

Making his way down the road, Hans felt the power of the Blade guide him to where he had to go. Momentarily, he let his mind wander to the device. It was a foreign thing; not a mindless weapon, but neither was it a person. It was, if anything, power, a power that had called to him his whole life. It filled a void in his heart he had tried to fill with glory and respect.

It hummed in his brain, like an absent minded buzz, vibrating the inside of his skull. He let the object guide him to… wherever.

"Ugh!"

Hans shook his head, "Watch it!"

"You watch it!" The other man yelped. They both rubbed their heads. Had Hans been a bit more aware, he would have noticed the emblem on Flynn Rider's pack was the twin to the one on Hans' belt.

The two glared at each other before calming down. They both realized there was no reason to get so worked up. Of course, the magic from the Blade and Shield was trying to force the two into conflict, but, at the present, there simply wasn't enough reason to fight.

Yet.

Hans was the first to stand, "My apologies," He bowed. His mother had ensured he would be a proper gentleman, and he would not fail to reach that standard, "Hans Westerguard."

"Flynn Rider," Answered the other gentleman.

"Like the guy from the books?" Hans asked, helping his fellow wielder up.

Flynn laughed nervously, "Uh, yeah, ha ha, I guess so," They shook hands, "What brings you to the _Duckling_?"

Hans smirked, "I hear there are some interesting characters to meet there."

"If you want characters, go to a theme park, only people there are criminals."

Hans absorbed this information, nodding, "Not a fan of criminals?"

"Not of being one, Hans," the two turned and marched towards the cavern, "Got any family in the area?"

"Just my mother… but I haven't seen her in forever," Hans grit out, "You?"

"Orphan, but… I got this girl, so…"

"Good for you," Hans smirked. Some quiet part of his heart ached over being alone. The return of his mother was a miracle, but now it left him more confused than ever. The Stabbington brothers circled the prince, glaring at Rider.

"Flynn," One growled.

"Now, now, boys," Hans reproved amicably, "Let's get to business first."

The prince turned to head into the tavern when Flynn stopped him for a moment.

"Listen… I've been where you've been. Let me tell you, it won't get you anywhere. You steal a crown, and think it's enough, but it isn't."

Hans paused, confusion dawning on his face.

Flynn took a deep breath, "Sometimes… you have to dream. You ever have a dream?"

Hans shook off the hand, frowning, "Never." He entered the Duckling.

Flynn didn't follow him inside. Hans glared, taking in the scene. Thugs of all shapes and sizes eyed him like fresh meat. Individually, he was a match for any of them. But together, they were deadly.

"Listen up," Hans bit out, "I'm putting together a team. Who's with me?"

The entire establishment laughed, "Fine…" He grit out, activating the blade, "Have it your way."

A large man with a viking helmet charged. The Blade whipped out, turning into a large mallet. He slammed it directly into his opponent's helm, shattering it and launching the man outside.

"Next?"

"Vladimir!" Another thug charged. The blade flashed bright red, changing into a spear.

"Okay, let's do this," He drove it directly through the man, but was shocked with no blood appeared. His enemy simply collapsed. Whatever peaceful solution may have existed ceased when the rest of the bar saw their comrade dispatched. They charged, knocking over tables and chairs.

Hans deftly leapt up onto the counter, stealing away the high ground and slashing wildly with his… ax? The Stabbington brothers were protecting his flank, but were soon overwhelmed.

He didn't have enough time to question that. He formed the Blade into a large hook and climbed up into the rafters. On the ground, the superior numbers and size of the outlaws would beat him, but up here they had to be agile, and come at him in smaller numbers.

It was then that he realized they had projectiles, "Really?"

He flipped down in time to dodge the majority of the implements. Hans kept stabbing and slashing until someone pinned his arms to the wall. From there, two grunts grabbed his legs.

"Uh, oh…" He closed his eyes, calling for help. Not that the brothers were likely to run to his aid, but…

"Uuuugh…." Vladimir appeared, unscathed, except for a blank look, and a red glow coming from his eyes.

"Vlad! Help us hold this guy down!"

Vlad instead decided to help Hans down. The other thugs Hans had slashed arose, the same glowing eyes as the rest. The prince now understood.

"I can control you with this!" He crowed. With the sides now far more even, the prince attacked slashing each man he thought would be of use. It made sense now. The Blade wasn't a weapon for killing. Instead, it was a weapon to inspire chaos. By cutting these men, he magically infected them to follow the will of the Blade, and destroy others.

The bar was turned upside-down by the violence of the battle. But inevitably, Hans won. He swung his sword overhead, "To the castle!"

The thugs cheered as the chaotic power of the Blade compelled them to obey.

Hans smirked. He had his family, he had his army, and soon, he would have his crown.

"Victory is ours!"

Meanwhile, across the countryside, lay the capital city. In the castle a short-haired brunette princess tried on her crown. Rapunzel let out a long sigh. Flynn liked brunettes, but…

She had long, flowing locks for as long as she could remember. Sure, they had been a pain, but sometimes her hair came in handy. Her neck got so chilly without its covering.

Her hair didn't grow anymore. That was the downside to the magic. She was stuck with the tomboy look for the rest of her life. Still, she tried to comb it down, trying out a new style. Nothing. It was just too short to style.

"It's too bad," Came the low tone that only appeared in her dreams, "You had such… beautiful hair…"

Rapunzel gasped, turning to confirm her darkest fears. It couldn't be…

"Come say hello to mummy," Mother Gothel held out her hands.

….

"Guards!"

Her false mother let out a dark laugh, advancing on her ex-daughter, "Oh Rapunzel, don't you know anything at all? I'm here to stay. And by tomorrow night," She pinned the young woman to the dresser, "I'm going to lock you back up in that tower. See you soon."

With a flurry of a cape, the elder woman disappeared in a cloud of black smoke as her troops arrived.

"What's wrong your highness?"

Rapunzel stared, traumatized at the spot her ex-captor had just stood, refusing to meet their gaze, "…get me Eugene, now!"


	6. Chapter 6

Hans trudged along, feeling the powerful pull of the Blade. As it turned out, it was not that simple to control such a powerful magical item. If anything, the more power he used, the more difficult it was to control.

The minds of the men offered some resistance. Mostly, they seemed interested in returning to their pub and drinking. It took concentration to keep them marching. They weren't much of an army, really. More like a mob.

He got them to the area his mother had disappeared to.

"Mom?" He yelled, "Mother?!"

He waited impatiently.

"Now really, Hans, you know I hate mumbling, but must you announce our presence to the entire country?" His mother appeared alongside a black cloud. The thugs were momentarily dazed, lifting the strain from Hans' mind.

"What?"

"You heard me! Think things through, boy, have I taught you nothing? Good things come to those who wait."

Hans swallowed his shame. He was behaving like a small child, mewling for his mother.

"What's the next move?"

"Wait," she said, leaping from her rock. In her resurrected form, she had certain abilities she hadn't in life; strength, speed, reflexes… The queen felt so powerful now, in ways she hadn't in life.

Hans nodded thoughtfully, "You're sure they'll come after us?"

"She can't help it," Said his mother, getting her temper back under control. By focusing on the advantages of being revived, she could drown out her annoyance at her son, "she'll call her lover, who, unless I am mistaken, has the Shield."

A flicker of confusion passed Hans' face. His mother laughed, "You didn't think you were special, did you?"

Flynn wandered to the sea shore, unsure of exactly what it was that he was looking for. Answers to his future, he supposed. Wreckage from a ship found its way into the bay of Corona's capital. Sifting through it, Flynn was about to go order someone to clear out the debris when he spotted someone with blond hair.

The ex-thief stopped immediately to dig him out.

"Are you okay?"

The man rolled over, coughing out sea water, "Is this… Corona?"

"Yes…" Hans yelled for help, "Just… stay alive, okay?"

Kristoff laughed, "Sure…"

The captain of the guard arrived. Not the horse, the human.

"Do you have the prisoner?"

"Uh…" Flynn, and ex-thief, was unsure if he was taking about Flynn, the blond man, or someone else.

"No," Answered Kristoff, "He escaped. Some kind of new weapon. It's magic."

Flynn gripped his satchel's symbol, "Okay."

The Shield glowed blue in response, urging him to track down the Blade for the battle to end all battles.

"Okay…"

Hans explored his mother's secret tower. It wasn't what he expected, exactly. His mother had always been prudent with her choices. At least, what he could remember of her. Yet across each of the walls he found splashes of bright paint. Large spots of light were found everywhere. His thugs were much easier to control with his mother around. Something was different about her, something he couldn't exactly see. Something he didn't exactly _want_ to see.

"Mother," He asked, "Who's that?"

On one of the walls was a girl with long, long blond hair.

"That's our target, Rapunzel."

Hans stared at the picture. Then he looked about the tower, "She knows where this is?"

His mother nodded yes.

"How?"

"I kept her here for years," The dark-haired woman answered, "Is that terribly surprising?"

Hans shook his head. And it's not like he objected. Certainly, he had done worse, yet, "You raised her?"

"Like my own," She sighed with a sardonic laugh, "And look where it got me."

"Does that make her… my sister?"

Mother Gothel laughed long and hard at that, "Really? Ha ha ha ha aha! That's rich! She's just a means to an end. Take out the princess, and the light of Corona goes with her," The laughter died out immediately, "I want you to use the power of the Blade to rip the magic left inside her heart, and give it to me. Then, and only then, will I be immortal."

Hans glared, trying to justify the outrage he felt in that moment. There was one unspeakable rule to the Southern Isles; family first. You can screw over friends, business partners, and even your church members, but blood is thicker than water, and more powerful than fire. If she didn't care about her daughter…

"Oh, don't give me that look, didn't you try and kill your fiancée or something?"

Hans nodded, admitting she had a point.

"Much better. Now, I want you to stay put. Her little knight will be along in a little while. Take him out."

Her son was still on the edge of deciding what to do, "But… killing needlessly is a waste." Even when he was committing regicide he kept his body count in the single digits. A war would cost many casualties. Besides which, perhaps her 'knight' wasn't that bad a guy.

"They killed me," She drily answered, "Is that enough of a reason?"

Hans nodded, "Fine."

But somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew something wasn't quite right. Family mattered. Even if she was not a blood relative, technically she was family. And family looked after family.

Across the kingdom, his little sister refused to come out of her room.

A knock came from the door. She had high hopes as to who it was.

"Listen, Blondie, I know you're no in the mood to hear this right now, but I need you to come out," Flynn knew she was just on the other side of the door. The unfortunate thing about dating a girl that had spent the first eighteen years of her life in a tower was that, when afraid, she had a tendency to isolate herself. Usually, it was not so bad because she would work through her problems herself, but right now she had to make decisions for the whole kingdom.

"Why?"

"….remember those yahoos in Arrendelle?"

Rapunzel let out a laugh. Flynn had been _miserable_. They had to leave right after Elsa had been crowned, which, really had turned out to be a stroke of luck since the whole country had frozen-over in minutes.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well… they sent us a prisoner, remember?"

Rapunzel nodded, frowning. It took her a moment to remember the order, "Do I have to sign for him or…?"

"Uh…" She knew that tone. It was the 'I-am-hiding-something' tone. Flynn used it way too much for her not to notice, "Eugene…."

"Actually, no. Because… he's escaped," Her boyfriend let out a brief laugh. It was awkward, "So, there's that."

The princess took a deep breath, "Great, now what?"

"I need you to come out and help manage the situation."

The door opened just long enough for him to be pulled into her room. She grabbed him for a hug. He took her in his arms. For all her bravery, she was still a scared little girl who needed reassurance. And it didn't bother him at all that she relied on him sometimes.

"I need you," She said into his shoulder.

He nodded, "Just tell me what to do."

Her head bowed in frustration, "I… don't know."

"Why don't you talk to this Kristoff guy. He seems to know what's up."

"No!" Rapunzel clenched her eyes in frustration, "It's not about the prisoner. He'll show up at the _Duckling,_ we both know that. It's that… she's back, Eugene."

Flynn searched her eyes, looking for an answer, "…who?"

"…_her_."

Instantly he drew away from the brunette, leaving her on the floor by herself. She swallowed.

"Impossible."

Now it was her time to reassure him. Flynn never talked about it, but dying… had left a mark on him. He had never been as carefree as he had been once upon a time. That was a good thing, really, but unfortunately, it was a problem. After they had left the tower the last time that fateful day, her on his back, he had never returned. He had trouble sleeping for weeks afterwards, and would clutch his side whenever startled.

As much as she loved him, he too, liked to cut people out. She was the only one who could rely on him completely, and right now, she needed him to stay focused.

"I need you to go back."

He wouldn't face her.

"Flynn."

His shoulders sagged, "I'm… afraid."

"I know," She said, "But somehow that… woman… is back, and she won't rest until she's got me again, and-"

"That will never happen!" His pendant flashed blue. A large shield formed in his left hand, "Stay here. I'm going to teach that old bag of bones a lesson!"


	7. Chapter 7

Hans stood stoically, watching the sun set. It had been a long day already. His mother was in her 'quiet zone' ignoring any and all distractions.

Apparently, part of her resurrection returned her body, but when she lost emotional control, she aged. Therefore she secluded herself in order to make sure no one upset her enough to age her.

"Oh, Hansy!" She called, "I need to have a talk with my big boy!"

Hans sighed wearily. His mother was still a mom, after all, and had a habit of making him still feel like a small child. He descended into the basement, allowing his eyes to adjust to the lack of light.

"Mother?" She didn't respond. Immediately, the Blade reformed into a sword, reading his tension. A blood-red glow emanated from the weapon, casting its ominous light far into the reaches of the enclosed area. It was far too quiet for his liking. His training kicked in. The prince slowly made his way into the area.

Like the rest of the tower, the mid-level was tiered. Even as the stairs kept descending, they ended in a hole to the basement, which was accessable by way of footholds. The mid-level itself was a crowded room, with reinforced stones set wherever needed to keep the tower aloft.

Hans slowed his breathing, and strained his ears for the noise, crouching low; he just made out the soft crush of silk behind him in time to spin. Gothel's blade struck his, sending her son spinning back. The Blade lost its form, tried reforming, and then got stuck as a sword. One smack of her enhanced strength and it spiraled out of his hands.

Hans stopped struggling when her claws wrapped around his throat. An angry snarl erupted from her throat. This was the height of power from the champion of evil?!

She was squeezing hard enough to kill Hans when a figure stepped out of the shadows and into the red light. A tall, thin man with jet black hair, and pale skin smoothly stepped up to the pair.

"Release him," He said.

Hans gasped for breath, even as he got back onto his knees. The figure looked down not entirely like a new owner might look at their pet.

"…do you remember me, Hans?"

The prince's eyes lit up, "But… you're not real!" His mother cackled at this. The mysterious man smirked.

"No…" He walked up the wall onto the ceiling, defying gravity, "But then again, fear isn't ever real. It's all just in your mind…!"

He disappeared into the pitch black shadows, only to reappear out of the black silk Mother Gothel wore, "I need you to snuff out the light of Corona, and then… then I will help you take out Elsa."

"She's too powerful," Hans growled, forming the Blade into his belt buckle, "I've been over it before. Nothing can contain her."

"Nothing," Said his childhood's boogeyman, "But fear." The being smiled darkly, "Now, Hans, surely you understand that. Fear is an excellent motivator."

Hans nodded slowly.

"Good. Now, go kill Flynn Rider."

...

Flynn took a crew of six guards back to the tower. He wasn't expecting trouble, but then again…

Once they reached the tunnel, Flynn stopped the whole group. Checking the soul he saw over twenty pairs of boots in the dirt. He swallowed hard. There was no evidence of female footprints, but that meant almost nothing.

"You two, come with me, you two, stay here," He turned to the two that looked like they were about to pass out in fear, "And you two… get reinforcements. As many as you can. Okay, go."

Usually the guards liked to give him grief about following orders. Besides not actually being their boss, he was also a thief. But seeing that he was the only one keeping a level head, they listened without complaint.

Flynn crept into the clearing with his companions. Circling the tower were people the ex-thief recognized. Ivan, Vlad, and the rest of the crew from the Duckling were there guarding an abandoned building. Something wasn't quite right here.

"Give me a boost," He went up into one of the trees in the field. Staying as quiet as possible, Flynn shot a bolt into the tower itself, over the heads of the goons. Tying down the rope, the sneak tip-toed up the line and into the side of the obelisk. From there, he climbed up into the window.

Before entering, he took a breath.

This was where he'd almost died. This was where he'd put it all on the line and then some. This was where he'd truly felt fear for the first time. And love. Where he'd first met Rapunzel. Where they first- he stopped himself. There was no reason he should reminisce this much. Thinking twice about stepping throough the doorway he'd been stabbed at previously, Flynn crawled up the outside of the shingles and burst in through the skylight, catching himself on the chandelier.

He crouched low. The glowing pendant in his hand immediately raised that weird blue-glowing shield again. It fit perfectly in his hand; light as a feather and strong as iron.

Flynn expected a rush of guards. At least three, probably a dozen total. And someone _must_ have heard the commotion. Where was the response?

"Hello, thief," A voice whispered in his ear. Flynn yelped, startled, and flipped down. He landed on his feet, whirling around to face his opponent. Poached impossibly on the chandelier was an impossible vision.

"You…" He whispered.

Mother Gothel laughed, jumping down and landing beside him. She was quite spritely for someone over five hundred years old. She examined the fingernails of her right hand idly, "Well, well… I suppose this means you don't have a welcome back gift for me."

He shook his head, drawing the shield over his chest to protect himself.

"Ooooo… that looks nice, mind if I take it?"

Flynn charged, and so did Mother Gothel. She was surprising fast, and strong, like the woman had been hollowed out and filled by a much more dangerous animal. Flynn felt her light body bang off the side of his shield, rebounding off the wall of the tower and coming to a roll behind him.

Turning, he saw her fingernails growing longer. They ground together like blades, emitting black and blue sparks, "I'm going to claw your face off… my pretty."

She dragged those fingers across the ground, gouging the stone. Flynn leapt up onto the table, flipped across it and onto a chair. Upon his landing, the Shield transformed into an umbrella-like device. An assault banged off it.

Flynn took a second to breath.

"You won't win," He said, as the Shield reformed onto his forearm like a gauntlet, "And wow, do I not love this thing!"

"Yessss…" She hissed, blowing on the burn marks that criss-crossed her hands, "The Shield is… quite powerful."

The fact that his device had harmed her, albeit without his conscious choice, was missed by the thief, but not the queen. This fight had the potential to destroy her; resurrection or no.

"The guards will be here within the hour," He said, "I timed it perfectly."

She smiled darkly, "So did I."

It took him a second to figure it out, "….Rapunzel. This is still about Rapunzel, isn't it," The Shield retracted into its emblem form, "This whole time, I thought you were trying to confront me, but this is all about her isn't it?"

Mother Gothel smiled, "Yes!"

Flynn's eyes dashed back and forth, thinking, "This is a trap…" He turned, leapt out of the tower, the emblem flashing blue as it turned into a device that would keep him alive.

He hit the ground with a thud, rolling as he went. The thugs, eyes glazed over, attacked. He knocked two down using the Shield. Immediately, they flashed back to normal. Their eyes focused as the blue beat out the red.

Ivan shook his head clear.

"Stop her!" Yelled Flynn.

"Who?!"

A loud screeching sound emitted from the top of the tower as Mother Gothel glided down like a gargoyle.

"HER!" Flynn pursued. She landed just outside the tunnel. He took after her in hot pursuit. She was just so fast. Faster than any human.

The second she got to the end of the hole, reinforcements arrived. She truly had timed this perfectly.

Flynn leapt onto the wall, bouncing from horseman to horseman as he finally landed on the tail end of the assault.

He knocked the rider off, apologizing, and turned the horse back.

"You won't escape me like this!"

Back at the castle, Rapunzel had locked the door to her room, and the door beyond that, and the door beyond that. There was a blockade barring the way between two of the openings. It would take a small army to get to her.

She went over to the window over-looking bay. It was dusk now. Flynn should have been back by now. Clearly he had run into something, or someone.

It was impossible, though. No one had ever done what Mother Gothel had done, so systematically lied about and manipulated her situation.

The princess found no rest reflecting on the past. Instead, she took a look through the papers Elsa had sent. The prisoner was… an interesting read. Hans Westerguard, Prince of the Southern Isles, talented admiral, skilled swordsman, brilliant strategist.

Reading through the file was not as nearly as interesting as the personal note included by the platinum-haired queen. Rapunzel teared up a bit as she read what had happened. Was it possible this had something to do with Gothel?

There was some evidence that she had been on board. But the report by this… Kristoff fellow, was, at best, confusing.

Rapunzel kept reading, trying to glean bits of information. It occurred to her that, since she had not been able to take him into custody, there was a chance that he may be able to infiltrate the castle.  
"Well," She laughed nervously, "At least the door is barred, right?"

Of course, the men in her life didn't use doors. The high ring of metal met her ears as the Blade pierced the window. Hans swung in, crashing through the glass.

Rpaunzel, startled, backed away.

"Who… are you?"

The prince opened his mouth, then shut it, "Well…" He said finally, "Who are you?"

"Rapunzel," She answered as simply as possible.

"Hans," He answered. The sharp intake of breath indicated that she knew who he was.

"Are you… in league with _her_," The princess was too afraid to say the name out-loud. Hans shifted uncomfortably. Technically, he was, but, that didn't answer the question he needed answered, "do you know where she comes from?"

"…yes."

"Where?" She whispered. The darkest parts of her mind kept her from defending herself, the fear grew and grew until she couldn't bear it any more.

"The Southern Isles…" He whispered in shame.

"She's…?"

"My mother," Hans looked deep into Rapunzel's eyes, "_Our_ mother."

The princess returned his gaze, then slowly, as if dealing with a startled animal, reached out and touched his face.

"We're family," She whispered.

Alarm bells rang outside of the room. The sound of nails across stone grew louder and louder. Hans drew away.

"I'm so sorry."

The Blade took on a liquid form as he could not decide whether or not to pierce her or not. His mother arrived, looking like a bat out of, well, you know.

"Do it!"

The Blade formed in his hand. Rapunzel started glowing, as the magic in his sword sought out the powerful magic in her.

"No!" Flynn, seconds beyond the old woman, leapt through the window. Hans thrust his sword as his mother tackled the hero.

_"__Do you love her?"_

_"__Do you love her?"_

_"__Do you love her?"_

_"__Do you love her?"_

The question had made no sense at the time. But now, tumbling down the castle, it finally made sense. The Blade, and the Shield- an unstoppable force, and an immovable object- the only way one could triumph over the other was not mere power. They were equal. It was how they were wielded that made the difference.

The Shield protected Rapunzel, reflecting the assault back on everyone else in the room. The area exploded from the force of the blow. But Hans' reluctance to strike, coupled with Flynn's desire to protect Rapunzel above all else, combined.

Rapunzel went to the edge of the room. Looking out below, she saw nothing.

**"****FLYNN!"**

He was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Thinketh No Evil

Anna watched troops march into Arrendelle. Soon, they would be shipped to the front and butchered like sheep.

The princess sighed deeply. Her servants were in a bad mood as well. For a wedding, this was a depressing atmosphere.

"Done," Muttered Gerta.

Anna turned to look at herself in the mirror, "Oooooh…!"

If Kristoff were at the end of the aisle, and not Hans, she might feel something akin to joy.

"Oh… Anna you're _beautiful_! Why, I remember your mother. I told her that every bride in the world would be angry at her. But now you… oh…"

Anna sniffed away a tear, "I look good, don't I!"

The noise of the soldiers died down in time for a knock at the door.  
"Enter."

Anna braced herself for just about anyone, but then…

"Minister Victor!" She ran over and hugged him.

"Oh, my…" He took her in, "I remember when you were born. And that baby girl grew up and became a woman! Where did the time go?"

She laughed, "Well, same place as your hair!"

The ladies all laughed.

"Any last bit of advice?" She asked nervously.

"Think no evil," He said.

"Huh?" Anna was surprised when the answer came, not from the minister, but from Gerta.

"People naturally like to think the worst of others," She smoothed the ruffles of Anna's dress, "Keep all evil from here," she pointed to her ruler's head, "And it's easier to keep it out of here," the finger descended to her heart.

"But, I'm pretty sure Hans is evil!" Anna exclaimed honestly.

"Every person is evil. But how you think about someone will determine how you act towards them. If that sham of a marriage is going to work, you have to want it to. People are filled with surprises. You never know who has a secret soft side hidden away."

Anna thought back to what Hans was like after dark, in so much pain, weak and afraid. It wasn't the kind of man she'd thought he was.

Were all men like that? Constantly surprising? Keeping hidden sides from everyone else?

"Think no evil," She repeated happily. The music started for her procession, "no evil," She repeated for her own benefit.

Minister Victor stood at the end of the aisle with a calm look on his face. But of everyone in the church, he was virtually the only one who was not completely dumbfounded. It took Anna a second to figure out what was wrong. Then she saw what was missing from the picture.

Hans.

"Seriously!" She screeched. The entire audience bulked. The bride giggled before quickly striding down the aisle. Once she reached Minister Victor, she whispered out of the side of her mouth, "Where's you-know-who?"

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered to witness a momentous occasion…" An explosion rocked the church, "Everyone! Get out!"

The entire congregation fled. Minister Victor grabbed Anna and took her out the side door, only pausing long enough to go, "Is that Rapunzel?"

They fled to the castle.

Anna went directly to her room. There, sitting on her bed, was a note from Hans. She opened and read it immediately. Her face filled with shock.

"What?"

As it turns out, it was not Arrendelle under fire, nor Beaskaulg. After long hours, messages from the front drifted in. The _Bloodyface_ had been blown up. It was overloaded with material, and, coincidentally, created a surprisingly sturdy bridge.

The detonation turned to tide. Troops ceased their assault and returned to camp. Over the next few days, merchants approached the bridge that had started the war, only to find that Southern Isles troopers had withdrawn to guard the _Bloodyface_'s.

Within a week, commerce had started up again. It had been almost impossible to continue fighting now that the region had international financial interests on the rise. Money flooded Meridian and Arrendelle as the region now had double the necessary access to the outside world.

Some of Hans' superiors questioned how convenient it had been that a so-called 'accident' managed to create such a structure, but were too embarrassed to admit that they had gone into all-out war to get something that would have been relatively simple to maintain.

Anna procured ownership of the bridge, as was her right as an almost-widow of a war general/prince.

Within a month, Elsa returned.

Anna ran to the docks, sweeping her big sister in a rib-crushing hug, "Don't ever leave again."

Elsa just laughed. Minister Victor appeared. He was happy to see the family reunited, and raved about how well Anna had done.

"I admit," Said Elsa hesitantly, "About leaving Anna in charge…"

"Tut-tut!" Admonished Minister Victor, "Think no evil of this young lady!"

The war had ended, Arrendelle flourished, and Anna got to remain single. Everyone got their happy endings.

Elsa resumed ruling Arrendelle, which took some adjustment due to the sudden influx of immigrants, plus the trading markets had doubled at the end of the war.

Kristoff was in town to bid Anna farewell at her wedding. Once he learned Hans' fate, he got ushered in instead and Anna got to marry the man she loved.

And Hans died, and was finally at peace.

Epilogue

The tour guide sighed in frustration, "Now, before we go to the supposed 'ice-queen palace' I want to point out something of Arrendelle's _actual_ history."

The children in the group groaned. The guide ignored them. Ever since 'Freezing' had come out, every little girl and boy on the planet wanted to go to Arrendelle and retrace the actual path of the supposed Ice Queen.

Of course, there wasn't much proof she had actually existed. A single summer with low temperatures had supposed hit around the supposed time she had existed. However, not only did she have no heirs, but there was proof that she wasn't even reigning at the time of her botched coronation.

"What you're looking at is called the bridge of peace," Some of the older patrons wandered over to listen, "Around the time the supposed Ice Queen reigned, we have record of an 'Admiral Westerguard' who married into the royal family. Their engagement was put off for some reason, and restarted when the war began. He found himself dragged into a war with Meridian, which makes little sense because there's never been anything but peace between these two countries."

The guide paused as orange-scented wind rolled across the hills.

"He destroyed himself and his ship creating this 'bridge to peace'. Ever since his sacrifice, Arrendelle has not seen a single armed conflict. During WWII, Nazis, looking for fleeing illegals, landed in the area. Their leader so respected this place, he refused to continue his hunt. It was a good thing too, because just over that ridge there was an entire battleship of British troops. Not only would they have been destroyed, the evidence of Allied strength in the area would have dragged Arrendelle into the war," The guide pointed out some markers, before wrapping up, "The bridge itself is maintained by weapons of war. People brought their swords at the signing of a peace treaty and welded them in, swearing never again to fight in Bearskaulg. The tradition has remained to this day. There are weapons from every major European war, and even some from near-east conflicts. You're free to make use of the bridge, no need to worry about red tape, but there is one unbreakable rule; no weapons. No one, regardless of the reason, may _ever_ cross this bridge with a weapon."

"Whatever happened to the bride?"

"She married some local peasant. And their children assumed the throne, so we're pretty sure this 'Ice Queen' didn't exist. Or she never had kids."

Some of the older couples took shots of the bridge, getting the orchard of orange trees lined up behind it. A little boy made a whining sound, "Bo-ring! When're we gonna get to the violent part?"

The guide sighed again, but it was the tourist's grandfather who interfered.

"You don't understand, do you, Eric? This… is a place of peace." The old man had a question, "Do you know how such a thing can exist?"

For once, the guide didn't just roll his eyes. He just asked, "How?"

Looking over to his wife, the grandfather answered, "Love."


End file.
